Crazy inventions vs. the GC

[TheTSKoala]

+1 XP for Antilles.

Le Resistance' Cannon! (No TNT / Explosive version) v2.2
Type: Vehicle Weapon
Damage: 3d4-2*.
Ammo: 1/1.
Recoil: -.
Range: 60 feet (15 feet increments) - Subject to Deviation
Size: Huge
Qualities:  AP (5), INA (-2), SLD (6), MAS, QKY.

Special Ability:
Spear'd! - On a successful hit, target vehicle must make a damage save vs. Damage.  On success, expended shot glances and carves the vehicle but does not connect.  On fail, vehicle is "held".  Held vehicle takes 1d4+1 damage at the start of round.  "Held" vehicles may break from being held by making a successful damage save, or moving beyond 60 feet of Weapon, inflicting 3d4-2 damage.

[Antilles]

There's just one thing: This'll be mounted on a standard ground vehicle, right? I also assume they'll want to use it in chases, right? I might have missed something, but I stilll think it's an important point: Distance per lead point is 50 ft. Therefore, it's only really gonna be working when the lead is 1, maybe 2 if you're generous. Dunno how you're gonna get around that one...

[TheTSKoala]

Oh, easy.  I'm not.  That's their job.  I believe their main goal for this weapon is a emergency, throw everything, the kitchen sink, plus the Harpoon at the guy chasing us, style weapon.  Now, if they decide to acquire longer steel cable, the Range would be able to go out to, oh, maybe 100-120 ft. (2 points + a little give for stunts.)  If they don't, I'm going to assume their idea is to disable whatever is chasing them at close range... I mean.. getting harpooned is seriously going to throw your plans for a pursuit into all sorts of chaos. 

*edit for spelling*

[Crafty_Pat]

Oh, easy.  I'm not.  That's their job.  I believe their main goal for this weapon is a emergency, throw everything, the kitchen sink, plus the Harpoon at the guy chasing us, style weapon.  Now, if they decide to acquire longer steel cable, the Range would be able to go out to, oh, maybe 100-120 ft. (2 points + a little give for stunts.)  If they don't, I'm going to assume their idea is to disable whatever is chasing them at close range... I mean.. getting harpooned is seriously going to throw your plans for a pursuit into all sorts of chaos. 

Koala, I like your style. 

[Antilles]

Huh. I though the point of the harpoon and the grapple/held stuff was to catch people, not run away from them. Oh well, I can see how getting a harpoon through the engine would stop most cars, so it's all good.

[Desertpuma]

I believe they are looking for the deterrent factor of it but secretly hoping they can drag someone or some vehicle behind them after harpooning it.

[Antilles]

Maybe inflict a penalty to their maneuver checks if they get held? Or even force them to make a crash check each turn, as you are basically dragging them towards obstacles and stuff?

[TheTSKoala]

Well, their main idea was having a vehicle weapon they could have some form of defense on the run.  I'll post what happened last game night once I get home from work.  I'll tease it though... it involves an interstate, a blown operation, two motorcycles and a dump truck.

[Desertpuma]

Ewww..... motorcycles getting hit with this weapon ... Hopefully, the players weren't on one of them.

[TheTSKoala]

Okay.  Here's the epic first night of "Le Resistance' Cannon (pronounced Can-un!) ze First!" ...that's what they named it.

So, we all get together after work, family life, and what not.  Sit down, first thing out of their collective mouthes is, "So, did we manage to figure out how to build it or our we forever stumped by the laws of GC physics?" To their, delight, I nod and tell them to start making rolls and explain to me what the rolls were for and what the outcome they wanted.  No errors, one critical success (which they activated).  So, they built it and mounted it to the Pick-up truck.  ..and proceeded to paint it like a cartoon, insane shark.

They craft 3 harpoons, each with one eye hole for cable.  That's when their terrific idea starts to stumble.  "Uh, guys.. we have 130 feet of cable, right?" "Yep." "So.. what happens after the first shot??" "Crap!"  So, they decide to go with one 'grappling spear' and the other two will just be flying metal harpoons.  Then, with a jump and a hand waiving gesture, the lone female player asks "Can we stop at Radio Shack?"  I blink. What? "In game.  Before the mission.  Can we stop at an electronics store???"  I shrug.  sure.  So, she runs in, and to my amazement and befuddlement, and to the absolute happiness of her other party members she asks, "Do they carry any range finders here?  You know?  The cheap ones they use in golf when guys wanna make golf all high tech?"  It's cheap, common place, so I agree.  ...and with a giddy step, she announces she attaches it, with duct tape, to the top of the Cannon... giving them a ranged scope.  (Genius if you ask this GC.)

Start mission.  Objective:  Raid a small military checkpoint for arms and equipment.  The only gear they're given from their mysterious sponsor is a CB radio that's been modified to monitor police and military activity.

So, quick mission synopsis.  Epic failure.  The two hacking attempts lead to critical errors, the attempt to ambush the guards before they can activate an alarm ends up with the alarm going out and a distress call that the post is under assault by bandits.  My players gulp, jump in the pick-up truck and run!

Best idea to date, jump on the highway.  High speeds, open road.  Nighttime commute was 'normal', with the average traffic.  They're driving as fast as their little pick up will take them.  They hear some radio chatter.  "Crap.  Guys, we've got 2 predators racing towards us!"

(Quick side note.  Predators are racing motorcycles armed with two 9mm SMGs mounted under their front headlights.  Used for quick pursuit and harassing fire.)

With a look of panic, the 'leader' belts out... hit them with a harpoon!  ...that's when I get my look of concern and worry.  Thankfully, the soldier guy replies with "Yeah.  Let me hit a FAST moving object with a slow moving pointy stick.  Great plan."  My ecstatic scope girl asks if there's anything "big" on the road.  I roll some percentiles and say "Sure.  You've got a passenger bus and a dump truck."  She gets this giant grin and asks her soldier buddy how far away the motorcycles were.  "Um.  A bunch?" ..which lead to her smacking him upside the head and yelling at him that she bought the scope for a reason.  (They're hubby and wife.  Hilarious couple.)  400 feet and closing.  He answers.  After a round of, "Speed up!" "I can't!  We're driving a ford pick up!".. it comes to.... "Tell me when the bikes are within 150 feet."

She tells the driver to pull infront of the dump truck (which was in the far right lane) and when she told him to, swirve left as hard and as fast as he could.

So, no fails on crash checks or to get in front, so they line up infront of a dump truck.  About 10 feet ahead.  Soldier yells "150 feet!  ..give or take a few."  She yells at the soldier to.. and I quote.  "Pretend like that Dump truck is Moby Dick and Spear it with a cable!"  Soldier gets a worried look, she screams to just do it.  He shrugs and makes his roll.  I make my damage save, I fail, and the dump truck's front grill is "spear'd".  She then yells at the Driver "Now!"  ...and he announces he pulls the wheel all the way to the right.

I pause for a second to envision what they're trying, then I crack up laughing.  I roll for the smarts for the driver of the dump truck.  He gets spear'd, of course, he slams his breaks.  The swirve left, putting the pick up truck at about 80 degree turn across the lanes of highway.  Creating, you guessed it, a giant metal clothesline.  I roll saves for the motorcycles, but they don't even come close.  One critically errors, which the players activate, sending the biker out to dry. 

They Cheer, High five.. then the soldier, in a moment of wisdom goes, "Uh.. guys... the line... the LINE!"  He saw my grin, stopped, thought, then realized the line was still attached to, well, them.  I make the driver make a damage save for the truck as the line reaches max. extension and bucks against the joints of the truck.  Remarkably, he rolls a 20.  And activates it.  So, I give him the option.  "Weapon comes detatched and only causes cosmetic damage to the bed  Or, the joints hold the blow, and the gun stays put."

..he chooses the gun stays put.  So, I say okay.  Tell him to make a maneuver check / crash check to recover from his truck acting like a bucking bronco.  Yeah.  He follows up his 20 with a 2.  ..and fails.  So, I tell him he's suddenly coming back across the lanes of traffic, right for the guard rail.  He quickly asks to glance at the traffic situation.  Of course, traffic is at a stand still with this carnage.  He replies.. "What's the odds of us flying?"  and states he's gunning the accelerator.

...the truck goes flying through the guard rail, down the embankment, sends the soldier flying for a few points of wound damage, fails every save you could think, the truck is barely operational.  I give it a max speed of 10 MPH, However, they all laugh, with glee exclaim about survivng, and quickly limp into the shadows before the authorities show up. 

So.. it worked.  It was the only thing they got to work that night.. but.. LOL.  It worked.

*Edit for my bad grammar skill*

[Antilles]

Oh my god, that was EPIC! You can tell'em they're my kind of crazy . I do hope you awarded action dice left, right, and centre in that scene, 'cuz that was quite simply awesome upon awesome.

[TheTSKoala]

LOL.  Yes.  Action dice were plentiful, and I spared the complete destruction of the truck, because at this point, it's almost part of the team! LOL.  I've secretly granted the truck w/ Cannon the "Signature Gear" feat.

[Krensky]

Upon watching the Superhero episode of Mythbusters... I take back all my earlier comments about weight size and power issues of air cannons...  Sheesh. 

And glad it worked out. 

[TheTSKoala]

LOL.  Yeah.  It worked out.. that was the only thing that worked out.  The blown mission cost them their only "free" melee weapon and half their ammo trying to escape.  So, their next mission is going to either be an upturn or put my players in a really bad spot....